JP2007007405A - Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved wakeboard binding plate assembly. <P>SOLUTION: The binding plate 20 comprises a segment with a toothed face on one surface. The segment is structured to be engaged with a segment with a toothed face inside the bottom of a chassis 35 of a binding of a boot assembly. The angle position of the boot assembly to the binding plate is determined, and the binding plate is fitted in the chassis of the binding at the angle position by the teeth of the plate and the teeth of the chassis which are engaged to retain the angle of orientation. The plate has a slot and the chassis has an opening to attach the plate to the chassis. A fastener 47 is extended to the opening 31 through the slot. The plate has an ear part so that the plate can be easily attached to the wakeboard. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  This application claims priority of US Patent Act 119 (e) based on US Provisional Application No. 60 / 693,792, filed June 27, 2005, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. To do.

  The present invention relates to an improved wakeboard binding plate assembly, and more particularly to a wakeboard binding plate assembly that facilitates adjusting the placement of a user's foot on the wakeboard.

  In the prior art, various types of bindings are used for wakeboards. Among these bindings, a preferred feature is an adjustment function that allows the user to position the binding in a particular direction. One type uses a boot assembly with various parts necessary to secure the user's feet to the wakeboard. The boot assembly is attached to a movable base plate or the like. An example of this type of binding is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,021,017 to Otto. However, such current adjustable bindings are often complex in their design and are often not easy to adjust.

  Bindings are also used for snowboards, but these snowboard bindings are not suitable for wakeboarding because the boots are designed to be removed from the binding assembly. In contrast, in the wakeboard binding, the user removes his / her foot from the wakeboard boot while the boot assembly is fixed on the wakeboard.

  Under such circumstances, it is necessary to improve the adjustment function of the wakeboard binding. The present invention addresses this need through an improved binding plate assembly that allows easy and quick adjustment of the direction of the wakeboard binding.

  An example of an improved binding plate assembly is disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,945,837 to Cramline et al., Which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This patent discloses an improved plate assembly using disks and rings. This disc is designed to be attached to the binding of a wakeboard boot using a ring designed to attach to the wakeboard itself. The ring and disk have non-uniform surfaces designed to engage each other. The disc and ring can be engaged in the desired arrangement, and then the ring is clamped to the wakeboard to secure the disc and boot binding at the desired mounting angle. By loosening the ring once attached to the wakeboard, it is possible to rotate the disc and the boot binding to adjust the attachment angle. 1 and 2 show the binding plate assembly of US Pat. No. 6,945,837. Therein, the binding plate is designated by the reference numeral 10 and is depicted attached to the wakeboard 1 to support the boot assembly 3. This boot assembly 3 is an example, and in fact any type of boot assembly can be used with the binding plate assembly of this patent. The ring is indicated by reference numeral 5 and the disk is indicated by reference numeral 7. The teeth 9 on the ring 5 are designed to engage the teeth 11 of the disk 7 to hold the disk 7 when the ring 5 is attached to the board 1. The ring has an opening 13 that allows the wakeboard 1 to be attached using fasteners (not shown), and the disk is attached to the chassis of the boot assembly 3 using the opening 15.

  While the binding plate assembly of US Pat. No. 6,945,837 has the advantage of providing easy and quick adjustment simply by loosening the ring and allowing the disk to rotate to other angular orientations, Such a quick adjustment is not necessarily required for more experienced users. Experienced users generally know the desired angular orientation of their binding plates and do not require quick adjustment features, so this feature of the plate assembly of US Pat. No. 6,945,837 Is often not used by some users.

  Under these circumstances, there is a need for improved wakeboard bindings that meet the needs of more skilled users. The present invention addresses this need through an improved binding plate assembly that is simpler and lighter than prior art binding plate assemblies.

  A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved wakeboard binding plate assembly.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a wakeboard binding using the binding plate assembly of the present invention.

  Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily setting the arrangement of wakeboard bindings.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description.

  In order to achieve the above objects and effects, the present invention has improved a wakeboard binding using a boot assembly attached to the wakeboard through an intermediate member such as a binding plate. The present invention includes a combination of a binding chassis and a binding plate, the binding plate being configured to be attached to a wakeboard. The binding plate has at least one non-uniform surface and the binding chassis has at least one other non-uniform surface. The non-uniform surfaces of the binding plate are configured to engage the non-uniform surfaces of the binding chassis and hold them in the desired angular orientation. The binding plate includes means for attaching the plate to both the binding chassis and the wakeboard.

  Preferably, the non-uniform surface of the binding chassis is a toothed ring or segment of ring with a non-uniform surface, the structure of which is similar to that of the binding plate. is there.

  Means for attaching the binding plate to the binding chassis include multiple openings in the binding chassis, multiple slots in the binding plate or separate openings, and through the slots or openings in the binding plate, the binding chassis. A fastener may be included that is designed to be secured to the opening. The slot or opening in the plate is designed so that the opening of the binding chassis configured to receive the fastener is visible when the binding plate is rotated with respect to the binding chassis.

  When teeth are used, even though the uneven surface can be of any type, rotation of the binding plate by one tooth will cause the angular position of the plate binding to the chassis to change to a known angular change. It is preferred that the teeth are configured to result. This allows the user to know exactly the degree of angular orientation when the binding plate is moved with respect to the binding chassis.

  The present invention also includes a method for attaching a binding chassis to a wakeboard by providing a binding chassis having a non-uniform surface and a binding plate having the non-uniform surface on the surface. . The angular orientation between the binding chassis and the binding plate is defined, and the non-uniform surfaces of the binding chassis and the binding plate are mated based on this angular orientation. Once the orientation of this angle is determined, the binding plate is attached to the binding chassis, and then the binding plate is attached to the wakeboard.

  While the present invention is an improvement in wakeboard bindings, the present invention also provides a combination of binding plate and binding chassis for use with a wakeboard while the wakeboard uses the new binding plate assembly features. Contains.

  The wakeboard binding of the present invention provides significant advantages over prior art binding plates and adjustable mechanisms. The boot assembly using the binding plate assembly of the present invention is easily set to a desired angular arrangement with respect to the binding plate. Fewer parts are required and the overall assembly is lightweight, which is advantageous for wakeboarding.

  Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the binding plate of the present invention is represented by reference numeral 20 and includes a central portion 21 and ears 23. The central portion 21 includes a central opening 25 and an arcuate slot 27. The ear 23 has a rib 29 for the purpose of improving the strength. The ear 23 also has an opening 31 that facilitates attachment of the plate 20 to the wakeboard. Each ear 23 has a number of apertures 31, each of which is adapted to receive a fastener that secures the plate to the wakeboard. In order to further adjust the plate 21 with respect to the wakeboard, a plurality of apertures 31 allow to increase the number of orientations available to the user of the wakeboard. Although multiple openings are shown in the figure, each ear may have only one opening. These multiple openings also allow for heel and toe adjustments in the wakeboard binding.

  The central portion 21 of the plate 20 includes a pair of segments 33 that are arcuate and non-uniform or toothed. As will be explained below, the teeth of the segment 33 help to determine the angular position of the boot assembly 3.

  FIG. 4 shows a boot binding chassis 35. The chassis has a toe portion 37, a heel portion 39 and a central portion 41. The central portion 41 includes a segment 43 with a pair of tooth surfaces and a set of screw holes 45 (four in total). The toothed segment 43 can be secured to the binding chassis 35 by any known method, such as mechanical attachment, molding, gluing, and combinations thereof.

  In use, the user already knows the desired angular stance in use, i.e. the boot assembly is at a specific angle relative to the binding plate that attaches the boot to the wakeboard. Accordingly, the plate 20 can be rotated to a desired angle with respect to the boot assembly 3 including the binding chassis, and the teeth 33 of the plate 20 can engage the teeth 43 in the binding chassis 35. . Even when the boot chassis is engaged with the plate 20, the slots 27 in the plate still expose the screw holes 45 in the boot chassis 35, but in order to secure the plate 20 to the binding chassis 35, A fastener (not shown) can be used.

  It should be understood that the slots 27 in the plate 20, the screw holes 45 in the binding chassis 35 and fasteners are just one means for attaching the plate 20 to the chassis 35. Other means can be used for this. For example, other shapes and / or different numbers of slots can be used. Similarly, in the above example, screw holes are shown for receiving fasteners, but other types of fasteners may be used that do not require screws, such as crimp bonding, bonding, clamping, pins, etc. .

  The plates and chassis attached to each other are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, where the center line “Y” of the boot chassis 35 and the center line “X” of the binding plate 20 intersect each other at a specific angle α. You can see that. Depending on user preference, α can be changed by rotating the plate relative to the chassis. Once the plate 20 and chassis 35 are attached to each other, an opening 31 in the ear 23 of the plate 20 is used to attach the plate 20 to the wakeboard using fasteners 47 and the binding is usable by the user. It becomes a state. FIG. 6 also shows the binding chassis 5 and the part of the upper binding 44 that is part of the user's boot assembly 3 in terms of the axes X and Y defined. This binding top is shown schematically, and any type of superstructure that accepts a wakeboard user's shoes can be used. The engagement between the teeth of the chassis 35 and the teeth of the plate 20 is indicated by reference numeral 46. A fastener 49 used to attach the plate 20 to the binding chassis 35 is also shown.

  Although teeth are used in the above example, any non-uniform surfaces that allow the plate 20 and chassis 35 to mate or bond together to prohibit relative movement with respect to each other. It should be understood that it can be used substantially. Similarly, in the above example, a segment with an arcuate tooth surface is used in the plate 20 and the chassis 35. However, when the plate 20 is attached to the chassis 35, the angle can be adjusted. Other shaped segments or rings can be used.

  The binding assembly of the present invention provides an improved binding plate design comprised of a single element, thus being low cost and light weight.

  The binding plate assembly of the present invention can be made from virtually any material, such as metals, polymers, composite materials, and combinations thereof. A polymer such as nylon is preferable as a material because it is strong against the influence of water and has excellent durability. Furthermore, when a plate is a metal, the manufacturing method can employ | adopt a stamping process, a cutting process, etc. When a polymer is used as the constituent material, a molding technique such as press molding or injection molding may be used.

  It should be understood that the binding chassis is part of the boot assembly that is ultimately attached to the wakeboard. The boot assembly has components that secure the user's feet when riding on a wakeboard, and includes heel and toe portions, integrated boots, upholstery, underlayment, string, footbed, substrate and the like. The boot chassis is essentially the bottom portion of the boot assembly that provides a non-uniform surface for engaging the non-uniform surface of the binding plate and carries that non-uniform surface. Can take any form, including a bottom surface for or a bottom surface including the non-uniform surface.

  As described above, all of the objects of the present invention are satisfied and provide a new and improved wakeboard binding plate assembly, and its use and method of use in the wakeboard binding. The invention has been disclosed in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention.

  Of course, various changes, improvements, and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical scope of the present invention from the disclosure of the present invention. The present invention is intended to be limited only by the content of the appended claims.

1 is a perspective view of a prior art binding plate assembly attached to a wakeboard. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ring and disk in an exploded configuration of the prior art binding plate assembly of FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a binding plate assembly of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a binding chassis including a non-uniform surface. FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing the plate and chassis attached to each other. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the engagement state of the binding plate and the chassis of a binding.

Claims (11)

a) a binding chassis having at least one first non-uniform surface on the bottom surface;
b) a binding plate having at least one second non-uniform surface configured to engage with the first non-uniform surface; and means for attaching the binding plate to the wakeboard;
c) means for attaching the binding plate to the binding chassis at different angular orientations, and a binding plate assembly for a wakeboard. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one first non-uniform surface comprises a toothed ring or a plurality of toothed segments provided on a lower surface of the chassis. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one second non-uniform surface further comprises a plurality of arcuate toothed segments on an upper surface of the binding plate. The means for attaching the binding plate includes a plurality of first openings in the binding chassis, a plurality of second openings in the binding plate, and through the second openings to the first opening. Including a zipper that extends,
The second opening is configured such that the first opening is visible through the second opening to receive the fastener regardless of the angle of orientation of the binding plate with respect to the binding chassis; The assembly of claim 1. The assembly of claim 2, wherein each tooth represents a change of 2 degrees in angle. 4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein each tooth represents a change of 2 degrees in angle. A method for securing a binding chassis to a binding plate at a given orientation angle for use with a wakeboard comprising:
a) providing a binding chassis having at least one first non-uniform surface underneath;
b) providing a binding plate having at least one second non-uniform surface on the upper side;
c) choosing an angle between the binding plate and the binding chassis, and at least one second non-uniform surface of the binding plate to at least one first non-uniformity of the binding chassis; Combining with a surface, and d) securing the binding plate to the binding chassis at the selected angle. The method of claim 7, further comprising attaching the binding plate to a wakeboard. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one first and second non-uniform surfaces are one of a plurality of toothed segments or toothed rings. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one first and second non-uniform surface is one of a plurality of toothed segments or a toothed ring. An improvement in a wakeboard binding having a boot assembly with a binding chassis and binding plate for securing the boot assembly to the wakeboard, wherein the boot assembly is secured to the wakeboard. An improvement comprising using the binding plate assembly described in 1.

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